Sebastian Aho played the role of hero once again for the Carolina Hurricanes, netting his fifth overtime goal of the season and leading his team to a 2-1 victory over the Calgary Flames in a nail-biting match on Sunday. Aho’s game-winning goal, achieved 3:16 into the overtime period, equaled a remarkable NHL record for overtime goals in a single season. This feat puts him in prestigious company, alongside Brad Marchand, Alex Galchenyuk, Jonathan Toews, and Steven Stamkos, who all achieved five overtime goals in earlier seasons.
Adding to Carolina’s tally, Jaccob Slavin found the back of the net, while Pyotr Kochetkov put on a solid performance in goal with 15 saves, all coming during regulation play. Jackson Blake contributed with a pair of assists, including aiding on the decisive goal, and Slavin also assisted in securing their victory.
On the opposite side, Nazem Kadri ended Calgary’s long-lasting scoreless streak with a power-play goal 7:06 into the third period, halting a dry spell that extended over 171 minutes and included parts of four games. Despite the loss, Calgary’s Dustin Wolf stood firm between the pipes, making 31 saves.
Notably, the Hurricanes struggled with their power play opportunities, going 0 for 6, even during a four-minute stretch late in regulation after Calgary’s Blake Coleman was penalized for high sticking.
From the game, crucial takeaways include the Flames’ initial difficulty in getting shots on goal, as they couldn’t manage one until the Hurricanes had already fired 12. Despite improvements in the second period, Calgary only managed 16 shots overall, matching their lowest game total this season. For Carolina, finding offensive momentum has been a challenge, as they have scored more than one goal in regulation only once across their last four matches. However, Aho’s consistency has been a bright spot, scoring in three consecutive games and tallying six goals in the last seven matches.
The key moment arrived when the Flames narrowly avoided a complete missed opportunity on the power play. During a 5-on-3 advantage, they could not score, but Kadri capitalized on the remaining power play moments to level the score, thus securing a point for Calgary and preventing their first stretch of three pointless games since October.
A pivotal statistic from the match was Slavin’s sixth goal of the season, mirroring his output from the entire previous season and placing him just two goals shy of his career-best tally.
Looking ahead, both teams will play again on Tuesday. The Flames continue their six-game road trip by visiting the Philadelphia Flyers. The Hurricanes, meanwhile, head to Detroit for their next faceoff.
